"'''A Part of the Shire'''" is the title of the map that immediately follows the Prologue in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Of all the maps in the published works of J.R.R. Tolkien, only [[Thrór's Map]] was made using a smaller scale, so the "Part of the Shire" map provides a wealth of geographic detail for [[the Shire]] not found anywhere else.

"'''A Part of the Shire'''" is the title of the map that immediately follows the Prologue in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. Of all the maps in the published works of J.R.R. Tolkien, only [[Thrór's Map]] was made using a smaller scale, so the "Part of the Shire" map provides a wealth of geographic detail for [[the Shire]] not found anywhere else.

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==An Aid to the Story==

The "Part of the Shire" map runs 60 miles north to south and stretches 105 miles east to west. Pieces (only) of all four [[Farthings]], all of [[Buckland]], and a sliver of land to the east of the Shire are shown. From the narrative's "point of view" the map allows the reader to trace the start of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo's]] journey to [[Rivendell]], covering the trip from Chapter 3, "[[Three is Company]]", through part of Chapter 6, "[[The Old Forest]]" of Book I in ''The Fellowship of the Ring'', and serves as a reference for the locations of events from Chapter 8, "[[The Scouring of the Shire]]" of Book VI in ''[[The Return of the King]]''.

The "Part of the Shire" map runs 60 miles north to south and stretches 105 miles east to west. Pieces (only) of all four [[Farthings]], all of [[Buckland]], and a sliver of land to the east of the Shire are shown. From the narrative's "point of view" the map allows the reader to trace the start of [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo's]] journey to [[Rivendell]], covering the trip from Chapter 3, "[[Three is Company]]", through part of Chapter 6, "[[The Old Forest]]" of Book I in ''The Fellowship of the Ring'', and serves as a reference for the locations of events from Chapter 8, "[[The Scouring of the Shire]]" of Book VI in ''[[The Return of the King]]''.

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==Details of the Shire==

However, this map also reveals many points of interest beyond the necessities of the plot. Twenty-one towns and villages are plotted on the map, with arrows pointing towards five Shire habitations not shown (plus an arrow that points towards [[Bree]]). The entire courses of the [[Stock-brook]], [[Thistle Brook]], and [[Shirebourn]] River are shown, as well as sections of [[The Water]], the [[Withywindle]], the Brandywine ([[Baranduin]]), and an unnamed stream from the north that flows into the [[Bywater Pool]] (which may have been the [[Norbourn]]). The whole forested area of the [[Woody End]] is on the map as well as parts of [[Bindbole Wood]] and the [[Old Forest]].

However, this map also reveals many points of interest beyond the necessities of the plot. Twenty-one towns and villages are plotted on the map, with arrows pointing towards five Shire habitations not shown (plus an arrow that points towards [[Bree]]). The entire courses of the [[Stock-brook]], [[Thistle Brook]], and [[Shirebourn]] River are shown, as well as sections of [[The Water]], the [[Withywindle]], the Brandywine ([[Baranduin]]), and an unnamed stream from the north that flows into the [[Bywater Pool]] (which may have been the [[Norbourn]]). The whole forested area of the [[Woody End]] is on the map as well as parts of [[Bindbole Wood]] and the [[Old Forest]].

The villages on the map are indicated by very small black squares and rectangles clustered in groups. While reminiscent of buildings they probably do not represent the actual layout of the villages. The amount of "buildings" seems to indicate the relative size of the towns and villages shown but since no population numbers were ever given for any Shire town no quantitative judgments can be formed from this map.

The villages on the map are indicated by very small black squares and rectangles clustered in groups. While reminiscent of buildings they probably do not represent the actual layout of the villages. The amount of "buildings" seems to indicate the relative size of the towns and villages shown but since no population numbers were ever given for any Shire town no quantitative judgments can be formed from this map.

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[[Image:A Part of the Shire (colored).jpg|800px|center|'''A Part of the Shire''' map by J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[Category:Maps of the Shire]]

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==Questionable Points==

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'''Waymoot/Waymeet'''

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:On the “Part of the Shire” map, on the [[East Road]] west of the [[Three-Farthing Stone]] is the town of ''Waymoot''. In the chapter, “[[The Scouring of the Shire]]”, this town (where the ruffians kept sheds) was named ''[[Waymeet]]''.<ref>{{RK|VI8}}</ref> "Waymeet" is a more modern spelling of the older form, "[[Waymoot]]", which was [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien's]] preference in early drafts of ''[[The Return of the King]]''. Though he ultimately modernised the name within the book itself, this map was never corrected, and still carries the older spelling.<ref>[[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]] (2008), ''[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]]'', p. 660</ref>

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'''Bindbole/Bindbale Wood'''

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:In the 1954 edition of ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' the letter ‘o’ in ''Bindbole'' was unclear and appeared to be the letter ‘a’. The name was rendered at ''Bindbale'' in maps by [[Barbara Strachey]] and [[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], in [[Robert Foster]]'s ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', and even by Tolkien himself in a manuscript note when he prepared the document later known as ''[[Guide to the Names in The Lord of the Rings|Nomenclature]]''.<ref>[[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]] (2008), ''[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]]'', p. lvii</ref>

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[[File:Map Middle-Earth A Part of the Shire.jpg|800px|center|'''A Part of the Shire''' map by J.R.R. Tolkien]]

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{{references}}

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[[Category:Maps of the Shire]]

Revision as of 22:56, 18 April 2011

"A Part of the Shire" is the title of the map that immediately follows the Prologue in The Fellowship of the Ring. Of all the maps in the published works of J.R.R. Tolkien, only Thrór's Map was made using a smaller scale, so the "Part of the Shire" map provides a wealth of geographic detail for the Shire not found anywhere else.

Contents

An Aid to the Story

The "Part of the Shire" map runs 60 miles north to south and stretches 105 miles east to west. Pieces (only) of all four Farthings, all of Buckland, and a sliver of land to the east of the Shire are shown. From the narrative's "point of view" the map allows the reader to trace the start of Frodo's journey to Rivendell, covering the trip from Chapter 3, "Three is Company", through part of Chapter 6, "The Old Forest" of Book I in The Fellowship of the Ring, and serves as a reference for the locations of events from Chapter 8, "The Scouring of the Shire" of Book VI in The Return of the King.

Details of the Shire

However, this map also reveals many points of interest beyond the necessities of the plot. Twenty-one towns and villages are plotted on the map, with arrows pointing towards five Shire habitations not shown (plus an arrow that points towards Bree). The entire courses of the Stock-brook, Thistle Brook, and Shirebourn River are shown, as well as sections of The Water, the Withywindle, the Brandywine (Baranduin), and an unnamed stream from the north that flows into the Bywater Pool (which may have been the Norbourn). The whole forested area of the Woody End is on the map as well as parts of Bindbole Wood and the Old Forest.

The villages on the map are indicated by very small black squares and rectangles clustered in groups. While reminiscent of buildings they probably do not represent the actual layout of the villages. The amount of "buildings" seems to indicate the relative size of the towns and villages shown but since no population numbers were ever given for any Shire town no quantitative judgments can be formed from this map.